The 2018-19 King's-Edgehill School's girls' prep hockey team is eager to showcase their grit this season while playing throughout Eastern Canada. - Contributed

Windsor team competing against 'the best of the best'

However, they had that opportunity Nov. 3-4 when they hosted Rothesay Netherwood School for two games at the GFL Newport Arena.

The first game was a Pink in the Rink fundraiser. While they lost the first game 2-1, they raised more than $1,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society.

“They scored early in the game and we tied it up with a minute left and then, unfortunately, they scored 15 seconds later. It was a great game,” said Isabelle Germain, the KES girls’ prep hockey coach.

The lone KES goal scorer in the Nov. 3 game was Jordyn Hickey.

What made that game extra special was the Pink in the Rink fundraiser. Kelly Duggan, a breast cancer survivor who just wrapped up treatment, performed the ceremonial puck drop.

“Although we didn’t get the win, we did end up raising quite a bit of money for a good cause.”

When the girls arrived at the rink the following day, they were hungry for a victory. It was another close battle, with Jenna Leighton being the lone goal scorer in the 1-0 win.

“Rothesay is a team that we generally beat at the end of the year but struggle with at the beginning so it was good to get two points from them this weekend and get our first win,” said Germain.

Sights set on future games

Germain, who has been leading the team for the past three seasons, said she was pleased how well the girls have been doing this season — they came in second place at the Vermont Stars Fall Foliage Classic, which was held in Burlington, Vermont in October.

“We just fell short in that final game but second place for such a young team is a great start,” said Germain, noting there are about nine new players on the team this season.

The team is a member of the North American Prep Hockey Association and competes against other prep schools in the United States and Eastern Canada.

On Nov. 15, the team will travel to New York for the first league tournament.

Germain said King’s-Edgehill’s team is comprised of players who aren’t “super flashy,” but who all do their part to benefit the team as a whole.

“We’re a super hard-working team,” said Germain. “That’s kind of always been our motto. It’s just to work hard every day and to challenge the teams that might not be used to such a gritty team. We’re very relentless on our fore-check.”

Germain said the team isn’t easily intimidated.

“Even though we are a small province in Canada, we can compete against the best of the best,” said Germain.

“We don’t care where they come from or what their population is. We work hard against every team.”

The team consists of several Hants and Kings county players, including Leighton, Abby McCarthy and Ava Benedict, who hail from Falmouth, Kathleen Benedict, from Kentville, and goaltender Deanna Fraser, from East Hants.